The present invention relates a passenger airbag, which is filled with gas during an emergency situation such as, for example, a frontal or side impact. Conventionally, during such emergency situations, passenger-side airbags, which generally deploy from an automotive dashboard, are constructed to inflate uniformly, i.e., all portions of the airbag are simultaneously inflated.
Uniform airbag inflation can, however, be problematic for both large occupants who are sitting out-of-position and for small occupants who tend to be positioned close to the dashboard. For example, if these occupants are wearing seatbelts, the uniform inflation of the airbag will first cause the airbag to impact the occupant's upper torso and then subsequently impact the occupant's lower torso, groin, and upper legs. As a result of the initial impact solely being directed to the occupant's upper torso, the whole of the occupant is not uniformly decelerated, which may contribute to neck injury.
What is needed, therefore, is a passenger airbag that, when inflated, will substantially simultaneously impact the occupant's upper and lower torso, thereby reducing the likelihood of neck injury.